Characterization of a simplified method of cryopreserving human parathyroid tissue.

Cryopreservation of human parathyroid tissue plays an important role in managing difficult parathyroid disease. It also can permit investigators to conduct experiments without dependence on the operating room schedule. Availability of cryopreservation has been limited by the perceived need for expensive, complex equipment. We adapted a simple method of freezing cell suspensions to freezing human parathyroid tissue. Vials containing human parathyroid in culture media, dimethylsulfoxide, and patient serum were placed in a plastic rack in a metal pan containing prechilled (4 degrees C) ethanol and placed in a -70 degrees C freezer. We compared viability (trypan blue dye exclusion by collagenase dispersed cells) of tissue frozen in this manner to that of tissue frozen in a programmable liquid nitrogen freezer at 1 degrees C per minute, a cooling rate recommended for human parathyroid tissue. The viability of 30 patients' samples cooled in liquid nitrogen (average length of storage 5 months) was 74% +/- 15% and that of 64 patients' samples cooled in ethanol (average length of storage 26 months) was 71% +/- 15%. Viability of 19 samples of fresh tissue was 79% +/- 10%. Neither method had a statistically significant correlation between length of storage and viability. Successful cryopreservation with simplified technology may expand the availability of parathyroid tissue to meet both clinical and investigative requirements.